Fuel crisis worsens in North Darfur, Sennar states

People in Sudanese states such as North Darfur and Sennar continue to experience a steady rise in prices for fuel and consumer goods, exasperating their lives through various ways.

The fuel and liquidity crises have been ongoing in Sudan and is considered the main cause of the demonstrations in the cities and states.

A resident of Kutum in North Darfur told Radio Dabanga that the fuel stations have stopped providing fuel to the farmers and limited them to a quota of one gallon for their vehicles.

“The price of a gallon of benzine in Kutum has risen to SDG 200 ($4.20*) and a gallon of diesel to SDG 180 ($3.80). The prices of consumer goods continued to rise too: the price of a sack of flour has risen to SDG 1,880 ($39.50) and a 50 kg sack of sugar to SDG 1,550 ($32.60).”

He added that a jerrycan of oil now costs SDG 1,150 and a kilo of fava beans to SDG 70.

Meanwhile people in Sennar in central Sudan are also witnessing a severe fuel crisis that has been ongoing for two days, listeners from Sennar told Radio Dabanga on Monday.

“The fuel pumps were crowded and there are long lines of vehicles,” the listener said. The price of a gallon of diesel in Sennar rose to SDG 125 on the black market and the price of a gallon of benzine has risen to SDG 150 in the black market.

At the pumps the benzine is considerably cheaper, SDG 35 a gallon.

Last week people in El Gedaref and Kassala also complained about the ongoing fuel crisis in the eastern states of Sudan. In Kassala, the authorities set one day a week to supply private vehicles and commercial petrol with special cards.

Fuel restrictions

On 12 February 2019, the Oil Ministry called on vehicle owners and agricultural industrial machinery owners in all Sudanese states to register their vehicles and equipment at the nearest fuel station, so as to ensure that they get the required amount of fuel. The ministry said in a press statement that this action comes in the context of the Sudanese Oil Corporation seeking to combat the smuggling of petroleum products, combating the black-market exchange and enforcing the policies that guarantee everyone’s right to refuel.

* As effective foreign exchange rates can vary widely in Sudan, Radio Dabanga bases all SDG currency conversions on the Market Makers Mechanism-determined daily US Dollar rate quoted by the Central Bank of Sudan (CBoS).